MOTORISTS are being advised that some parking spaces in a town centre car park will be out of action for the next three weeks after damage was discovered in an underground culvert.

The Environment Agency (EA)  has implemented an emergency road closure at The Gill in Ulverston after results from a survey found serious defects in the Town Beck channel as it runs underground through a culvert beneath the South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) operated car park.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The inspection was completed by EA contractors, JBA Bentley, prior to starting work to repair the culvert as part of the Ulverston Town Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme.

The culvert is known to be in poor condition, however this inspection showed further deterioration of the structure.

It was considered that, as the damaged section is beneath car parking spaces, there was a risk of collapse if vehicles parked in the spaces immediately above.

EA officials have today (Thursday) fenced off the area affected and are working on a solution to make the culvert structure safe.

There will be some disruption around The Gill whilst the emergency works are completed.

Cumbria County Council has put in place an emergency highway closure and traffic control measures to manage the flow of traffic in the area. 

The car park will remain open, but the measures mean that three car parking spaces will be unavailable for the duration of the repair work, which is due to start next week and is expected to last three weeks.

For more information on the Ulverston Town Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme, visit the website: www.townbeckfas.co.uk